Integrating Village Rabbits in Papua New Guinean Agriculture Training course, September 1996 For women from the Oro, Western and Sandaun Provinces. Trainers:- Dr David Askin- NZ Baptist Mission Dr Ian Grant, Agriculture Department, UniTech Mr and Mrs David and Anna Kulombao Mr Kolopa Paita Mr Simon Joseph, Mr Gombong Contents: INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................... 4 WHY KEEP RABBITS ................................................................................................................................ 5 RABBITS ARE FARMED AROUND THE WORLD .................................................................................................... 5 VILLAGE PEOPLE NEED PROTEIN ...................................................................................................................... 5 THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABILITY ....................................................................................................................... 5 WHY NOT CHICKENS? ...................................................................................................................................... 6 RABBITS AND THE MELANESIAN WAY. ............................................................................................................. 6 WILL RABBITS HARM GARDENS OR BUSH? .................................................................................... 7 HOW TO GET STARTED WITH RABBITS. ........................................................................................................... 10 IMPORTANT WORDS OF CAUTION. .................................................................................................................. 10 RABBIT BREEDS IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA........................................................................................................ 12 HOUSING RABBITS ................................................................................................................................. 13 WIRE ............................................................................................................................................................. 13 RABBITS CHEW WOOD. ................................................................................................................................... 14 RABBITS NEED SALT AND TIMBER TO CHEW. .................................................................................................. 14 RABBITS INTEGRATED WITH THE MELANESIAN VILLAGE GARDEN. .................................. 15 GARDENS ARE CHANGING AS PEOPLE CHANGE. .............................................................................................. 15 Few people, long fallow. .......................................................................................................................... 15 Many people, short fallows ...................................................................................................................... 15 Fire and soil fertility ................................................................................................................................ 16 IMPROVING SOIL FERTILITY- USING TREES - PROTECTING THE FOREST. ........................................................... 16 Learning from Melanesian systems .......................................................................................................... 16 Trees- a valuable crop ............................................................................................................................. 16 Trees a bride price crop. .......................................................................................................................... 17 Live fences. ............................................................................................................................................... 18 Simple nurseries work! ............................................................................................................................. 18 FEEDING RABBITS. ......................................................................................................................................... 18 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 18 Forages .................................................................................................................................................... 19 Concentrates/pellets ................................................................................................................................. 19 Vitamins ................................................................................................................................................... 19 Minerals- Salt requirements ..................................................................................................................... 20 Water ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 Legumes as food for rabbits ..................................................................................................................... 20 Feeding rabbits and gardens in warm wet places. ................................................................................... 21 Feeding rabbits and gardens in the highlands. ........................................................................................ 21 Feeding rabbits and gardens in hot dry parts of PNG. ............................................................................ 22 THE ROLE OF RABBIT MANURE IN SUSTAINABLE GARDENING ........................................................................ 23 MANAGING RABBITS ............................................................................................................................. 24 HANDLING RABBITS ....................................................................................................................................... 24 BREEDING ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 Mating difficulties .................................................................................................................................... 24 Pregnancy test? ........................................................................................................................................ 25 Nesting boxes ........................................................................................................................................... 25 Kindling ................................................................................................................................................... 25 Caring for young rabbits and weaning. ................................................................................................... 26 KEEPING RECORDS ................................................................................................................................ 26 DOE BREEDING SHEET. ........................................................................................................................ 27 BUCK BREEDING SHEET. ..................................................................................................................... 29 COMMON DISEASES OF RABBITS ...................................................................................................... 31 NONINFECTIOUS CONDITIONS ........................................................................................................................ 31 Cannibalism ............................................................................................................................................. 31 Congenital Malformations ....................................................................................................................... 31 Dental Malocclusion ................................................................................................................................ 32 Dystocia ................................................................................................................................................... 32 Heat Exhaustion ....................................................................................................................................... 32 Injuries ..................................................................................................................................................... 32 Poisoning ................................................................................................................................................. 32 Sore Hocks ............................................................................................................................................... 33 Wet Dewlap .............................................................................................................................................. 33 Wool eating .............................................................................................................................................. 33 PARASITIC INFECTIONS .................................................................................................................................. 33 Coccidiosis 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